Wood block splitting device



P. u. KOSKI 7 Nov. 14, 1967 WOOD BLOCK SPLITTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1F G I Filed Nov. 10, 196

INVENTOR PENTTI u. KOSKI ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1967 I P. u. KOSKI 3,352,335

WOOD BLOCK SPLITTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1INVENTOR. PENTTI u. KOSKI ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 14, 1967 United StatesPatent ()fifice "3,352,335

3,352,335 WOOD BLOCK SPLITTING DEVICE Pentti U. Koski, Aberdeen, Wash,assignor of one-half to Olli R. Koski, Aberdeen, Wash. Filed Nov. 10,1965, Ser. No. 507,114 14 Claims. (Cl. 144-195) This invention relatesto devices for splitting wood blocks into smaller, more manageablesections, More particularly, this invention relates to a device forsplitting blocks of wood into smaller sections which are to be splitfurther into shakes or shingles.

A primary object of this invention is to provide anhydraulically-operated device for splitting wood blocks which is mountedfrom an overhead support structure. Another object is to provide such adevice which transfers compressive cutting forces through the cuttingassembly to the overhead support structure such that the cutter assemblymounting does not absorb such forces to any appreciable extent. Afurther object is to provide such a device that can be positioned over arelatively large area to reach wood blocks transported to the splittingarea at random locations from a log sawing area. These and other objectsand advantages will become apparent from the following description inconjunction with the accompanyin drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with some parts brokenaway to show certain features;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of one feature of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of another feature of the inventiontogether with a schematic diagram of an exemplary hydraulic system.

This invention comprises a device for splitting wood blocks into smallersections and includes a vertically mounted hydraulically-operated cutterassembly, means for mounting the cutter assembly to an overhead sup portstructure such that the cutter assembly may be pivoted about an offsetoverhead mounting point to position the cutter assembly over a woodblock, and means for transferring compressive cutting forces to theoverhead support structure such that the mounting means does not absorbsuch cutting forces to any appreciable extent. A preferred embodiment ofthe invention also includes an overhead support structure which has abase adapted to support the wood blocks to be split. With reference tothe figures, a cutting assembly is identified by the numeral 10, acutting assembly mounting meansby the numeral 12, a compressive forcetransfer means by the numeral 14, and an overhead support assembly bythe numeral 16.

The cutting assembly comprises a knife 18, an hydraulic cylinder 20 andan hydraulic piston rod 22 connected to the upper section of knife 18and adapted to vertically raise and lower the knife by longitudinallysliding within the hydraulic cylinder. The lower end of the hydrauliccylinder is provided with a lower seal bushing 24 that guidesthehydraulic piston rod and provides a hydraulic fluid seal. The upperend of the hydraulic piston is provided with an upper seal bushing andpiston 26 that also guides the hydraulic piston rod and provides anhydraulic fluid seal. The hydraulic cylinder is provided with areversible hydraulic fluid inlet and outkit, 28 and 30, that are adaptedto be connected to a pressurized hydraulic fluid circulating system forraising or lowering the hydraulic piston rod. The upper end of thehydraulic cylinder is fluid-tightly edge-welded to a fiatcircularpressure plate that constitutes the compressive force transfer means 14.The adjacent surfaces of the plate and the ceiling of the overheadsupport structure are in close proximity so that the mounting means willundergo little bending stress when a block is being split.

Because the hydraulic piston is essentially floating within thehydraulic cylinder it may easily be rotated by manually turning theknife when the hydraulic piston is retracted. Thus, when the cutterassembly is properly positioned over a wood block, the knife may bemanually turned to produce a desired cut angle on the wood block.

The knife 18 is preferably fabricated as a wedge with a lower cuttingedge 18a and rectangular side walls, 18b and 180, triangular end walls18d and 18e, and 3. rectangular top wall 18] fabricated from steelplates edgewelded together. A cylindrical collar 32, having an axialhollow threaded section, is welded to the top wall 18f at the lattersmidpoint. The piston rod 22 has a reduced diameter threaded lower endsection adapted to be threaded into collar 32 so that the knife 18 canbe easily removed for sharpening or replacement. The knife interior ispreferably provided with triangular brace members to stiffen the sidewalls.

The lower seal bushing 24 comprises an annular section 24a that ispositioned at the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder interior by upperand lower snap rings 34 and 36. Inner and outer O-rings seal 38 and 40are fitted to the inner and outer peripheries of the annular sections24a to provide respective fluid-tight seals between the hydraulic pistonrod 22 and the lower seal bushing 24 and between the inner wall ofhydraulic cylinder 20 and the lower seal bushing 24. The lower sealbushing 24 also comprises a cylindrical section 24b axially aligned withthe center axis of the hydraulic cylinder and having an inner surfacethat provides a sliding fit for the hydraulic piston rod. Thecylindrical section 24b extends outwardly beyond the lower end of thehydraulic cylinder so that the knife, when in a retracted position, willnot abut the hydraulic cylinder lower end. The lower seal bushingannular and cylindrical sections are preferably fabricated from brass.

The upper seal bushing and piston 26 is provided with an axial hollowthreaded section adapted to be threaded onto a reduced diameter threadedupper end section of the piston rod 22. At the upper end of the upperseal bushing and piston 26 a hollow hex head section 260 is provided tofacilitate threading and unthreading. The outer peripheral surface ofthe upper seal bushing and piston 26 is provided with O-ring seals 42 toprovide a sliding fluid-tight seal with the inner Wall of the hydrauliccylinder 20.

The mounting means 12 comprises two tubular pivot arms 44 and 46pivotally joined together by hearing means 48 at their respective firstends, the second end of pivot arm 44 being connected to the cutterassembly 10 and the second end of pivot arm 46 being connected to theoverhead support assembly 16. The bearing means 48 joining the two pivotarms comprises an axially rotatable cylindrical housing 50 to whichpivot arm 44 is welded, top and bottom mounting plates 52 and 54,separated by a cylindrical pin 56, to which pivot arm 46 is welded, andupper and lower tapered roller bearing assemblies 58 and 60 spaced apartby a cylindrical spacer 59 and mounted between bearing housing 50 andpin 56. The lower end of pin 56 is enlarged to provide an annularsurface upon which lower roller bearing assembly 60 seats. The upper endof bearing housing 50 is provided with an inwardly extending lip 50awhich seats on the top of the upper bearing assembly 58. The second endof pivot arm 44 is connected to the upper end section of hydrauliccylinder 20 by means of a split-type clamp 61. One half of the clamp 61is welded to the second end of pivot arm 44 and is bolted to the otherhalf of clamp 61 positioned on the opposite side of the hydrauliccylinder. The second end of pivot arm 46 is connected to the overheadsupport assembly 16 by bearing means 62. Bearing means 62 comprises anaxially rotatable cylindrical bearing housing 64 to which the second endof pivot arm 46 is welded, a cylindrical pin 66 extending upwardlythrough the bearing housing 64 and welded to a support plate 68 which isbolted to the overhead support assembly 16, and upper and lower taperedroller bearing assemblies 70 and 72 spaced apart by a cylindrical spacer74 and mounted between bearin'g housing 64 and pin 66. The lower bearingassembly 70 is positioned around pin 66 by spacer 76 and retained in'such position by snap ring 78. The upper end of bearing housing 64 isprovided with an inwardly extending lip 64a which seats on the top ofthe upper bearing' assembly 70. Because of the provision of tworotatable bearing means, 48 and 62, the mounting means 12 permitsconsiderable pivotal movement of the cutter assembly 10.

The overhead support assembly 16 preferably comprises a ceilingstructure and a floor structure. The ceiling structure comprises aplurality of parallel channel members 80 arranged so that they faceinward toward the center'li'rie of the ceiling as shown. The ends of thechannel members are welded to one'of two parallel I-beams 82. A supportplate 84 is welded to one of the I-bea'ms and is adapted to be bolted tothe support plate 68 of mounting means 121A- channel cross-member 86 iswelded between two of the channel members 80 adjacent and parallel tothe support plate 84' to reinforce that portion of ceiling structure towhich the' mounting means 12 is attached. A ceiling plate 88 is providedon the underside of the channel members 80 and I-beams 82 and is adaptedto be contacted by compressive force transfer means 14 when a block issplit. The ceiling plate has a cut-out portion through which pin 66'extends. The ceiling structure is supported from the floor structurebyfour tubular column members 90 each positionedat the corners of theceiling and'fioor structures and weldedto the ends of the I-be'ams. Themounting point for mounting means 12 is preferably at about themid-point of one of the ceiling structure sides; as shown, so thatthe'cutte'r assembly can be easily positioned anywhere over the floorstructure;

The floor structure is a substantial duplicate of the ceiling structureand comprises a plurality of parallel channel members 92* arranged'sothat they face'inwardly toward the center line of the floor as-shown,two parallel I-beam's 94-to which the'channelmeinber ends are welded,and-a fioorplate 96 provided on topof the channel members 92- andI-beams 94; Chainbelts'98 maybe'pla'ce'd on top-of floor plate:9'6totransport log blocks to a position where they may beisplit:

The'hydrauliccylinder 20' is provided with handle bar means 100 formanipulation of the cutter assembly. The handle-means are-welded to onehalf ofasplit-type clamp and the other clamp half is bolted thereto withthe hydraulic cylinder'between the clamp halves. The handle meansafctuatcs a spring-loaded, self-centering control valve 104 ina mannersuch that depressing the handle means will'cause hydraulic fluid tolower the knife 18 and such that releasing thehandle'means will'causehydraulic fluid to raise thekn'ife'18'to a retracted position.

The hydraulicsystem -cornprisesa motor driven pump 106 having an inletopening'to a reservoir 108' through a strainer 110' andan-outlet-op'ening to a relief valve 112 and to control valve104-through hydraulic fluid outlet line 114. An hydraulic-fluid returnline 116-connects control valve- 104 with thereservoir 108'.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for mounting to an overheadstructure which comprises acutter assembly adapted for overhead mounting comprising a knife havinga lower cutting edge-and an hydraulic mechanism for vertically raisingand lowering said knife including a vertical hydraulic cylinder and anhydraulic piston rod attached to said knife and slidablelongitudinally'within said hydraulic cylinder; means connected to anuppersection of said cutter assembly mountingsaid cutter assembly tosaid overhead support structure at an offset overhead mounting pointsuch that said cutter assembly may be pivoted about the overheadmounting point; and means attached to an upper section of said cutterassembly for transferring compressive cutting force to said overheads'upport structure.

2 Apparatus according to claim 1 whereina lower end section of saidhydraulic cylinder is provided with a lower seal bushing adapted toguide said hydraulic piston rod and provide an hydraulicfluid seal; andwherein an upper section of said hydraulic piston rod is provided withan upper seal bushing and piston to guide said hydraulic rod and providean hydraulic fluid seal.

3. Apparatus according to claim. 1 wherein saidknife comprises a hollowwedge-like member having a pair of rectangular side walls and a pair oftriangular -sh'aped end walls and a rectangular top wall; and includingacylindrical collar welded to the knife top Wall' having a hollow axialthreaded section; and wherein the lower-end of. said hydraulic pistonrod comprises a threaded section adapted to be threaded into saidcylindrical collar. g

4. Appparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutter assembly mountingmeans comprises two arm members pivotally joined together at respectivefirst ends with the second end of one arm member joined to saidhydraulic cylinder and with the second end of the other arm memberadapted to be pivotally connected'to an overhead support structure. V pw p m I 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said and members arepivotally pinned at respective first ends by bearing means whichcomprises an axially rotatable cylindrical bearing housing connected toone arm member, a pin member extending axially through said' bearinghousing-connected to the other arm member, and a bear ing assemblymounted between said bearing housing and s'aidpin member. s I I 6.Apparatus according to'cl aim 4 including a bearing means connected tothe second end of the arm niern'ber adapted to be pivotally connected toan overhead support assembly which comprises an axially rotatablecylindrical bearing housing connected to the second end of such armmember, a pin member extending axially through said bearing housing andadapted to be connected to an overhead support structure; and a bearingassembly mounted between said bearing housing and said pin member;

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including an overhead supportstructure which comprises a ceiling structure provided with a ceilingplate, a floor structure provided with a floor plate; and column supportmembers for supporting said ceiling structure from said floor structure;

and wherein the cutter assembly mounting means is con nected to theceiling structure at about the mid-point of one of the ceiling structuresides.v

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including handle means provided onsaid hydraulic cylinder for positioning.

said cutter assembly; and including a spring loaded, selfcenteringhydraulic control valve means mounted on and actuated by said handlemeans and adapted to permit.

hydraulic fluid to lower said hydraulic piston rodjwhen said handlemeans is depressed and to raise said hydraulic piston rod to a retractedposition when said handle means is undepressed.

9. Apparatus which comprises a cutter assembly adapted for overheadmounting comprising a knife having a lower, cutting edge and anhydraulic mechanism for vertically raising and lowering said knifeincluding a V61? tical hydraulic cylinder and an hydraulic pistonrodattached to said knife and adapted to slide longitudinally within saidhydraulic cylinder; means connected to an up per section of said cutterassembly adapted to mount said cutter assembly to an overhead supportstructure at an offset overhead mounting point comprising two arm mem;

bers pivotally joined together at respective first ends with the secondend of one arm member joined to said bydraulic cylinder and with thesecond end of the other arm member adapted to be pivotally connected toan overhead support structure; an overhead support structure whichcomprises a ceiling structure provided with a ceiling plate, a floorstructure provided with a floor plate, and column support members .forsupporting said ceiling structure from said floor structure, the cutterassembly mounting means being swingably mounted to said ceilingstructure; and a pressure plate connected to an upper section of saidhydraulic cylinder in close proximity to said ceiling structure andadapted for transferring compressive forces to said ceiling structure.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein a lower end section of saidhydraulic cylinder is provided with a lower seal bushing adapted toguide said hydraulic piston rod and provide an hydraulic fluid seal; andwherein an upper section of said hydraulic piston rod is provided withan upper seal bushing and piston to guide said hydraulic piston rod andprovide an hydraulic fluid seal.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said knife comprises a hollowwedge-like member with a bottom cutting edge having a pair ofrectangular side Walls and a pair of triangular-shaped end walls and arectangular top wall; and including a cylindrical collar welded to theknife top wall having a hollow axial threaded section; and wherein thelower end of said hydraulic piston rod comprises a threaded sectionadapted to be threaded into said cylindrical collar.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said arm members arepivotally pinned at respective first ends by bearing means whichcomprises an axially rotatable cylindrical bearing housing connected toone arm member, a pin member extending axially through said bearinghousing connected to the other arm member, and a bearing assemblymounted between said bearing housing and said pin member.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9 including a bearing means connectedto the second end of the arm member adapted to be pivotally connected toan overhead support assembly which comprises an axially rotatablecylindrical bearing housing connected to the second end of such armmember, a pin member extending axially through said bearing housing andadapted to be connected to an overhead support structure, and a bearingassembly mounted between said bearing housing and said pin member.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9 including handle means provided onsaid hydraulic cylinder for positioning said cutter assembly; andincluding a spring-loaded, self-centering hydraulic control valve meansmounted on and actuated by said handle means and adapted to permithydraulic fluid to lower said hydraulic piston rod when said handlemeans is depressed and to raise said hydraulic piston rod to a retractedposition when said handle means is undepressed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 513,637 1/1894 Fox 144-1933,285,304 11/1966 Fuller 144-193 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,133,964 7/1962Germany.

DONALD R. SCHRAN, Primary Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING TO AN OVERHEAD STRUCTURE WHICH COMPRISES ACUTTER ASSEMBLY ADAPTED FOR OVERHEAD MOUNTING COMPRISING A KNIFE HAVINGA LOWER CUTTING EDGE AND AN HYDRUALIC MECHANISM FOR VERTICALLY RAISINGAND LOWERING SAID KNIFE INCLUDING A VERTICAL HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND ANHYDRAULIC PISTON ROD ATTACHED TO SAID KNIFE AND SLIDABLE LONGITUDINALLYWITHIN SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER; MEANS CONNECTED TO AN UPPER SECTION OFSAID CUTTER ASSEMBLY MOUNTING SAID CUTTER ASSEMBLY TO SAID OVERHEADSUPPORT STRUCTURE AT AN OFFSET OVERHEAD MOUNTING POINT SUCH THAT SAIDCUTTER ASSEMBLY MAY BE PIVOTED ABOUT THE OVERHEAD MOUNTING POINT; ANDMEANS ATTACHED TO AN UPPER SECTION OF SAID CUTTER ASSEMBLY FORTRANSFERRING COMPRESSIVE CUTTING FORCE TO SAID OVERHEAD SUPPORTSTRUCTURE.